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Old 01-24-2014, 04:54 PM   #21
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Originally Posted by Mulligan View Post
Glad it was legit and it doesn't surprise me based on what my GF says at her utility. Sometimes you assume there are uniforms and official vehicles, but that isn't they way they roll sometimes; cheaper to pay mileage. I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't have a badge of some type, but just didn't think to show it.
Oh she had a hard-hat with the logo and also a badge. Problem is that I have no way to authenticate the badge ( I don't know what they are suppose to look like). Seems like anyone could fabricate a badge and a hat.

-gauss
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Old 01-24-2014, 08:37 PM   #22
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Originally Posted by gauss View Post
Oh she had a hard-hat with the logo and also a badge. Problem is that I have no way to authenticate the badge ( I don't know what they are suppose to look like). Seems like anyone could fabricate a badge and a hat.

-gauss
A few years before I retired our Megacorp hired a company to test our security at our corporate HQ, our main R&D centre and one of our production sites, all in Texas. I attended the de-briefing detailing how easy it was to penetrate and collect all sorts of info. Simply observing employees going to work and taking photos of them they were able to make fake badges, and then follow people into their places of work. The ID badges they had made looked good but didn't open any doors, which wasn't a problem since folks are too polite and keep doors open when they see others behind.
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Old 01-25-2014, 02:30 AM   #23
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Alan,
I was also concerned about the scenario that she may have found someone's lost badge and put together a scheme that involved "recycling" the badge.

Back in the 80's when I worked in defense, we had a culture of removing our badges before we went to lunch or left for the day.

-gauss
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Old 01-25-2014, 09:58 AM   #24
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Alan,
I was also concerned about the scenario that she may have found someone's lost badge and put together a scheme that involved "recycling" the badge.

Back in the 80's when I worked in defense, we had a culture of removing our badges before we went to lunch or left for the day.

-gauss
You were absolutely correct in doubting the validity of the ID badge, and for calling the utility company afterwards to check that all was in order. A worthwhile experience to share with us here
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Old 01-25-2014, 10:52 AM   #25
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I was walking out of my house one day and encountered a man who said he was with the gas company and had to check something. I asked for ID and he pointed to a badge that said Contractor and he handed me a flyer that had some language about the fact that gas companies have the right to check their equipment. I quickly returned inside and locked the door.

I called my gas company and they told me that they had not sent me anything in the mail or scheduled anything. The gas company said he might have been legitimate because the gas company said they hire subcontractors to check their equipment, but I didn't open my door up again because I asked over the phone for them to prove to me that this was safe. He wasn't wearing any type of uniform and had an unmarked car. The woman asked if he was wearing yellow. (And he wasn't wearing yellow, but even if he had been wearing yellow --- criminals can wear yellow.)

After a few minutes on the phone, the guy left .... and in fact nobody ever returned.

I checked on the Internet for the company in the flyer and it was perhaps legitimate, but on first glance the company's website looked very amateurish. I emailed my gas company and told them this story and my complaint was that even if this was all legitimate it is a bad business practice. I don't want any company to use such questionable practices. If people are opening their door to this guy and there is no problem, they might open their door to the next guy too.
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Old 01-25-2014, 01:21 PM   #26
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Here in Los Angeles the Department of Water & Power workers union is under fire for not being able to account for about 40 million dollars in tax payer money. This might become the next big corruption case ala the City of Bell, CA.
If they are telling you that work needs to be done I would question it. Just because someone works for the city and says "You need to fix this" doesn't mean it's true. They might be motivated by money.
DWP's $40-million mystery fund deserves customer outrage, answers - Los Angeles Times
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